Dispensing or collapsible tube containers have been used in the art for a number of years as a means to store and dispense various semi-viscous compositions, including both industrial and household compositions. An exemplary semi-viscous household composition would include toothpaste. From a product manufacturer perspective, dispensing tubes are a very simple solution to product packaging in that they are inexpensive, adaptable to high volume manufacturing, available in many shapes and sizes and can be customized with product names and branding strategies. Typically, the construction of such tubes is made from thin-walled foil or resilient plastic which is sealed on one end and containing a sealable opening at an opposite end. Generally, the sealable opening includes a cap positionable thereover. Upon removing the cap, the semi-viscous composition is urged through the opening to be dispensed at various intervals. This can be accomplished by the user removing the cap and squeezing the tube with their hand until the desired amount of the viscous composition is dispensed and then the cap is replaced. As the material from the tube is intermittently evacuated, the body of the dispensing tube partially collapses, consequently diminishing the ability of the user to squeeze that portion of the tube in subsequent material dispensing. As the tube becomes further emptied it becomes more and more difficult to remove the remaining material. In addition to the problematic removal of material, the appearance of the dispensing tube as it is partially filled looks unkept and takes up unnecessary space during storage. It is therefore desirable to urge the semi-viscous material to the front of the dispensing tube so that the remaining tube is fully filled at all times during the dispensing process.
There exist in the art several examples of others trying to accomplish this goal. For example, the following U.S. Patents each generally suggest the use of a rigid key for winding a collapsible tube: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,492,594; 2,903,162; 5,094,362; 5,558,250; and 5,884,812. Such devices, however, have not gained wide acceptance, ostensibly due to the fact that they are each quite bulky and are difficult to use, especially if one wants to limit the amount of space in storing the toothpaste tube, especially with so many other toiletry products available and used in current market. There therefore exists a need to provide a lightweight, easy to use device which does not take up an inordinate amount of storage space when used in conjunction with a collapsible tube.